Dr. Read:
I already use scantrons for exams, so those are easy to grade.
I recently streamlined the homework for Fundamentals. Instead of turning in homework every week, the students had four homework assignments due containing four chapters each.
These were spread out over the module with the goal of giving them time to focus more on the content and preparing for exams.
Each packed took awhile to grade, but for me it was better than grading the weekly homework.
I try and do multiple choice, short answer, matching questions for my tests. So that does save time. I think homework assignments I will have the students exchange homework o we can go over it and they could correct it in the process. This will definitely save time.
Hudson, It sounds like this method serves both you and your students the best. That's a healthy balance.
Dr. Melissa Read
As a writing instructor, this is a difficult question to answer, because I feel like it's my duty to assign a certain number of writing assignments to truly test their competency.
However, I have noticed that having a large portion of the work due online, in discussion boards or blogs, helps take the pressure off because I can reuse comments via copy and paste.
This course recommends having students grade each others homework. Would this be a violation of FERPA?
Donna, Yes! When having students exchange homework, you can ask them to use a code number instead of their names. This will help protect their privacy.
Dr. Melissa Read
The current format for homework is done online and auto-graded. Test are multiple choice and T-F so easily graded and reviewed. Also like to add bonus Questions for complex concepts and harder questions it seems they are very interested in getting the bonus right and will discuss these questions in groups during review.
Scantron would be helpful and also the use of essay questions to gauge understanding.
In one particular class, I give a daily quiz. I have designed the daily quizzes to be 10 multiple choice questions covering the highlights from the previous class. They are fairly easy to grade as it is easy to memorize the answer key for only 10 answers. However, I am going to try to grade these with a scantron, that could only make grading faster. The students have told me that they actually like this daily quizzing as it makes them keep current on the reading and reviewing of course material.
Homework assignments at this time are as streamlined as I can get them to be. I use class time to go over the assignment and students take turns answering the questions so if they have not completed the assignment they cannot participate. Exams are another matter. There tests/quizzes are electronic so that is helpful. Although when they have a fill-in or short essay it is very time consuming to grade. I am not able to change the tests as they come from a master that only the department chair can change. Hopefully I can get the wording changed so that if it is essay the lead words such as define, identify, describe or evaluate could shorten the response. Speaking up at meetings seems to be helpful but....
I will not have to change the format to my exams because they are completed online and graded.
The texts for our program are great, with the exception of instructor resources. I put a lot of time into creating assessments for my students. I am looking forward to launching the new curriculum because it also includes more resourceful instructor materials! I will definitely be taking advantage of any and all test generators, recommended lesson plans and activities, etc...
Leigh, Wonderful to hear! Sounds like you have identified a lot of great resources and also have some new ideas for improvement too.
Dr. Melissa Read
We have a uniform grading and curriculum that has the testing procedures written out. Our chapter quizzes are scan-troned into a spread sheet for our input into the grade book, the company policy is that we do not discuss the quiz after the test. We have written lab assessments that are graded by the instructor. When grading these lab assessments I have found that when I discuss with the group on their collaborative answers and give them the questions that they need so they can learn from the printed questions that are required from the school. I like the idea, instead of just docking the points from their grade let them think about the answer that they gave me, and give them a chance to fix it. Nothing is learned when the test can not be challenged.
Since I teach a mix of design and lectre style courses, I always look for ways to make students look for ways to critically solve problems and be concise. I think going forward working with students to summarize their thoughts in a single line will be important and note that either in a forum header, or underlining on an exam and supporting that thought will be handy with essay style questions.
Another feature in ExamView that I absolutely love is the ability to scramble questions with one click. This allows the creation of different versions of the test with the same questions in a different order. Nice for those classrooms when you can't avoid having the students sit right next to one another. Without this feature, changing the order of questions is a long, arduous process. Real time-saver!
Over the years I have learned effective methods of streamlining the grading process, but never considered having students highlighting relevant information or terms within the essay. This is one tactic I will incorporate immediately as I believe it will enhance my time as well as encourage the student to be more aware of including the required information.
Being an English instructor, my courses more often than not require essays as the method of assessment than any other type. The information about highlighting words and phrases will be helpful to me.
Based on material from the module, I have already been utilizing these tactics, but not to their fullest extent. I will look more into test and quiz generating on-line to assist in my grading.
I really like the idea of having students underline the most important parts or ideas of their essay answers. I'm looking forward to implementing this!
